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| Earthworks - Barbury Castle |
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 Extra news, views, gallery and archive brought to you by Weird Wiltshire Introduction Latest News News Archive Big Cat Sightings Highworth Swindon Minety Monster Barbury Castle Oldbury Castle Liddington Castle Malmesbury Abbey Broad Town man Amesbury Archer Malmesbury Pennine Way Staverton Moonraker Legend Ridgeway Savernake Forest Gallery Postcards Wallpaper |
WITH a spectacular 360-degree view of the countryside stretching into the distance, it is not hard to see why Barbury Castle was built. Once an Iron Age hill fort, the castle is now an impressive earthwork located on the Ridgeway, an ancient Wiltshire pathway. The castle was chosen as a settlement because of its many natural advantages, and members of a Celtic tribe would have lived in the 11-acre expanse of flat land, with the many layered ditches used as a defence. Its origins are suffused with legend but it is thought to be the site of an ancient battle. Cynric, a Saxon leader, is thought by some to have brought his people to Barbury Castle to defeat the British in around 550AD. The inner bank used to have a continuous wooden fence running round it to protect the people inside and also to give cover while the defenders threw spears at their attackers. There are Bronze Age bowl barrows nearby and buried skeletons have been found on the site. The outer bank was reinforced with huge Sarsen Stones, some of which remain today. |
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